NTNC Patron Lays Foundation Stone of National Zoological Garden

The Right Honorable K.P. Sharma Oli, Prime Minister and Patron of National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC) laid the foundation stone of the National Zoological Garden at Suryabinayak, Bhaktapur on Thursday, June 23, 2016.

Realizing the difficulties due to very small space (6.6 hectare) of the current Central Zoo at Jawalakhel, Lalitpur, the Government of Nepal decided to establish a National Zoological Garden at community forest with area of 245 hectare in Suryabinayak VDC of Bhaktapur on February 12, 2015 (Magh 29, 2071). The area covers an area of seven community forest users' groups namely: Sunyabinayak, Setidevi, Manthali, Gauradevi, Balkumari, Likhanarayan and Sanjivani and some areas of the national forest.

Inaugurating the ceremony, Rt. Hon. Prime Minister thanked local people, NTNC and the Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation for their efforts to establish the Zoological Garden. The NTNC carried out the feasibility study of the zoological garden in 2011 and forwarded it to the Government of Nepal for approval. Highlighting the importance of plant, he also assured that the construction work will be carried out with mutual interest of local people and the nation.

The chairperson of the ceremony, Honorable Agni Prasad Sapkota, Minister of Forests and Soil Conservation and the Chairperson of the Trust expressed his commitment to establish the National Zoological Garden of global standard.